Thank you all so much for the warm welcome at the AGM on 4th September. I am not sure how I am going to follow in the esteemed footsteps of Robert but I will certainly give it my best. Thank you also to everybody who helped arrange and run what was a super-busy and enjoyable evening.
I thought it would be nice to include a photo of my bees when they first arrived in their little corner of Wiltshire. If you have an apiary photo to share then please forward to me and perhaps we can use them to brighten up our monthly news.
Next Club Meeting – Weds 2nd October, from 7pm at Bishops Cannings VH
Richard Oliver will be updating us on his new role within BBKA, what the BBKA can do for associations and how associations can help the BBKA to improve.
Open Apiary, Sunday 6th October (1.30-4pm) – Tidy Up and Prepare for Winter
The deadline for both honey sales and honey show entries is Monday 7th October.
If you would like to sell your honey on the day, please register via the form provided and note the accompanying T&Cs. In return a little volunteering on the day would be greatly appreciated. B-Sellers-registration-form_.docx (live.com)
For honey show entries– please click the link for the schedule and entry form. Microsoft Word
– WBKA Schedule 2024v2.docx (wiltshirebeekeepers.co.uk)
A fantastic day is lined up so come and enjoy all that will be going on.
We have brought together comments from the Judge’s assistant at the recent Kennet show to assist you to improve your exhibits for the Wiltshire show. The link below will take you to this very helpful information, a short video and the show results.
https://www.kennet-beekeepers.co.uk/2024/09/25/kbka-honey-show-results/
The next in the BBKA series of Zoom talks will be “Mead” with Michael Badger on Tuesday 15th October at 7pm. A recording of this talk will be available on YouTube for those unable to watch live.
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83502493107?pwd=Yu5huayrKJSvnXTSC7W1M1gkh5BU1L.1
Meeting ID: 835 0249 3107 Passcode: 700083
The BBKA identification sheet is attached at the end of this newsletter and further details for identification of the yellow-legged hornet can be found at the link below.
https://www.nonnativespecies.org/assets/Uploads/ID_Vespa_velutina_Asian_Hornet_5.0-1.pdf
There have been 38 confirmed sightings in the UK in 2024. Sightings are considered confirmed when a specimen has been analysed by an official laboratory with a positive outcome. There have been a total of 138 confirmed sightings since 2016. This figure includes a total of 103 nests, all which were destroyed.
The following modules will be covered over the Autumn/Winter months:
Module 6 – Honeybee Behaviour: When/Where: Started 10th September with Somerset BKA via Zoom and will meet weekly until Tuesday, 12 November.
Module 1 – Honeybee Management OR 7 – Selection & Breeding of Honey Bees (depending on interest). When/Where: The Lansdown Hotel in Calne (exact evening TBC)
Module 3 – Pests, Diseases and Poisoning. When/Where: After Christmas with Richard Oliver via Zoom. Exact day TBC but will not be Tuesdays
Please email Emma or Andrea (education@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk) if you would like to join any of these. Click here to view the syllabus.
In order to support beekeepers at all levels to continue to learn and improve, WBKA has agreed to refund fees for members taking and passing exams until the end of 2025. An offer surely not to be missed!
Honey Warming Cabinet – £200. Please contact Colin Thomlinson on 07951 970728.
Attention Beekeepers! We Need Your Help to Improve Bee Health!
We have been asked to publicise that the BBKA is part funding a research project at Queen Mary University and Yeahji Jeong, the PhD student is appealing for volunteers as follows:
We understand how frustrating it can be when your bees aren’t thriving, and we want to change that. We’re a team of researchers developing innovative approaches to better detect pathogen infections and other causes of disease in honeybees. We are inspired by the advanced techniques used by the NHS to diagnose human diseases and cancer, and are adapting these methods to benefit our bees. We’re seeking volunteers to help us create a healthier future for our bees! If you’re willing to assist, we’ll first ask for some basic information about your bees, and later, we may request you donate a few honeybees. In return, you’ll receive a detailed analysis of your bee’s health, along with the satisfaction of contributing to the well-being of bees everywhere.
To join us, please take a moment to fill out this form. It should be very quick.
Our project is generously funded by the BBKA and the UK government’s Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Thank you for being part of this crucial effort to protect our bees! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 4ourwellbeeing@gmail.com. (Yeahji is a PhD student in
Professor Yannick Wurm’s lab at Queen Mary University of London).
It’s been rather a full newsletter so if you have made it this far then well done!!
Looking forward to the October meeting when we welcome Richard Oliver back for his talk.
See you there!
Sonia Meadows
Chair, Kennet Beekeepers Association
